The River Oaks football team practiced in full pads for the first time Wednesday, and it was just one more adjustment the team embraced since the offseason.

The MAIS-based Mustangs are one week ahead of the LHSAA schedule and have already gone through a bit of transformation in coaches and schemes with the departure of longtime assistant coach Dalton LaBleu to St. Frederick and other coaches shifting around on the staff.

Head baseball coach and football assistant Lance LaBeff is now working with both offensive and defensive line with Greg Brown also working on the defensive side.

The offensive players are also working with new looks as the team transitions to more of a spread formation than in recent years.

“There is a good bit more read option stuff, and everybody has adjusted really well,” Hannah said. “I think a big thing for us is finding the right mix up front. We had some guys graduate. We lost three starters from last year, but the guys who have been here, they haven’t gotten as much playing time as you would like, but they have been doing a good job for us.”

Hannah added that the coaches will take interest in the battle for playing time on the offensive line including in this Friday’;s scrimmage at Riverfield Academy in Rayville.

“I think as coaches, we are interested to see who steps up on the offensive line,” Hannah said. “We are trying to develop some depth there. We will still have some guys playing both ways, and they do a good job of that, but depth in the line is something we are hoping to have.”

River Oaks and other MAIS schools could begin practicing July 31, a good start since the temperatures had cooled off. However, when the Mustangs moved to full pads Wednesday, the heat index had jumped back up, but Hannah said his team responded well.

“You could tell guys were pushing through and were getting tire out there,” Hannah said. “And we can do a lot OC work in shells (helmets and shoulder pads) like we had been doing, but in the pads you could see some guys movement slow down.”

PORTER ON THE MEND: The River Oaks offense is also working senior fullback Drake Porter back into the lineup after he missed the entire spring with a shoulder injury, according to Hannah.

Porter played both ways for the Mustangs last season, standing out at defensive lineman as well.

Following the scrimmage with Riverfield, the Mustangs will have a jamboree at Prairie View Academy in Bastrop on Friday, August 15.